Portal Fordal
by Blaiddsumu
Summary: In his multidimensional travels, Ford ends up meeting child versions of himself and his twin brother, Stanley. Also, some aliens are there and they aren't happy with him. (AU, Canon Divergence. Portal Ford, near the end of his portal-ing)
1. Chapter 1

H **owdy folks here's anoThER fanfic for y'all... again, I've got everythin' posted on AO3 already, so if you so wish you can go over there instead. I've got the same username, Blaiddsumu, over there (and everywhere else) as here...**

A **nyways, I wrote this just for the heck of it. I just wanted everyone to be happy but I didn't wanna alter canon... too much, so I just made up some random """alternate dimension"""" excuse and here we are.** **this is pure, indulgent fluff,, I just want the dumb grunks to actually act like _adults_ for once and talk to each other. it counts if he's talking to a kid version right? ... right?**

H **ope you enjoy!**

A **nd feel free to do whatever people do on this site when they like a story, if you liked it! Just remember, I do have this completed! if you are impatient like me, go ahead and find this on AO3 since it's fully posted there. ( you can find my profile at (/)users(/)Blaiddsumu )**

 **(please don't pay any mind to the title, this is just what I had the document named (it's honestly just a really bad pun) and I couldn't think up anything better hehehhh)**

* * *

 _ **Portal Fordal**_

 _ **16,239 words total**_

 _ **Chapter 1**_

* * *

Ford ran through the crowded market, cursing as a blast from a rifle hits the ground at his feet. He fiddled with something on his wrist as he ran, typing in a code of coordinates set to land him in another random dimension, this time with the automatic program actually running which locked onto habitable conditions for him. He did not want a repeat of the time he jumped into the vacuum of space - he had to throw a perfectly good blaster away to move him back to the portal he came through.

Another blast grazed his elbow and he flinched, diving into a nearby alleyway where they were likely going to look for him first, but it was better than nothing. He was almost done inputting the code anyways, so it wouldn't matter if they trapped him in there as long as he stalled for a few more seconds...

A shadow appeared in the entrance to the alley, blocking his only means of escaping without a portal. Fortunately, his pursuers didn't know he had the machine at his wrist working again.

"Well, well, well! It seems I'm gonna finally get ya, this time, Ford! I've never forgiven you for stealing that die from me, you backstabbing cheat," the figure growled, shifting shoulders forward into a ready (and intimidating) stance. Ford stood up, straight as he could while still being ready to run.

"In my defense, you _were_ planning to turn me into the authorities. I couldn't just stay there, and I still had the die from when you gave it to me. I didn't steal it, technically," Ford countered, pressing a final button and activating the machine on his wrist. It began to buzz quietly. The figure's expression changed, somehow more angry than before, and leaped to tackle Ford. He was surprisingly agile for such a large species.

Ford slipped to the side, dodging the other, then stepped back as a spark of light quickly formed into a small circular portal. He watched it grow, while keeping an eye on his enemy. As the other stood, the portal became large enough to enter, and Ford dove in.

"So long, T'aaz! See you never," he gloated as he passed through. The expression on the other's face was one of pure rage, but before he could do anything Ford was gone, portal closed close behind him.

"RRRRRRRGH! That stupid human…" T'aaz growled, motioning to the other figure that approached to stand down, "He's gone,"

"Sir… should I track the portal?" they asked, softly, "It's not too late…"

T'aaz looked up, then smiled at the smaller figure.

"Yes, do it now. He's not getting away that easily,"

-v-^-v-^-v-

Ford's smile faded, and he sat down on the beach he landed at to catch his breath. That chase took a lot out of him, and he wasn't as confident as he showed himself to be. What if the repairs hadn't worked? Speaking of…

He glanced at his wrist, feeling an unnatural head coming from the machine.

 _Ah…_ Ford thought, _It's on fire. That's not good._

Easily patting out the fire, he looked around to see where he ended up. It was a beach, the sun just starting to lower, and surprisingly… crunchy sand? No, that wasn't sand, he had stepped on some shards of glass. He noticed that even though the sun was setting, the sky seemed the tiniest bit more… green than his own home. It must have more nitrogen in the atmosphere compared to his dimension, but evidently not enough to hinder his breathing. Before he could come to any more conclusions, however, his entire thought process jerked to a stop as he saw two children staring at him, most likely having seen him appear out of the portal. Two boys, and most likely twins.

They looked like… Ford and Stan, when they were kids.

"… Woah, magic portal!" one of the boys gasped as the other stared, wide-eyed. With that, Ford knew without a doubt that these two kids were this dimension's version of him and his brother.

"Ah, hello there…" Ford said slowly.

The boy with the glasses, Ford's young counterpart, stared at the machine on his wrist, possibly trying to figure it out, or at least figure out what it was for. Ford glanced at it, saw it was charred, and looked back to the boys. After an awkward moment, he decided to kneel on one knee and hold out his hand to shake.

"Nice to meet you. I am an inter-dimensional traveler," he figured he might as well tell the truth (well, part of it). Their curiosity knew no bounds, "Apologies for suddenly appearing out of nowhere like that, I was in a bit of a hurry..." Ford trailed off as this dimension's Stanley eagerly took his offered hand, shaking it with a passion.

"Hey, neato! Poindexter, check it out, this guy's got six fingers too!" Stanley said, wide-eyed and turning towards his brother, who raised his eyebrows.

"Wait, really? I've never met someone else with six fingers before," he said, almost reverently as he stepped up the the older man and took his hand. Ford flinched, expecting the world around him to fall apart as he touched his counterpart, but nothing happened. Looks like that other Fiddleford was not correct, fortunately. He schooled his expression, then looked at the two boys.

"Well, neither have I, actually, not even now." He admitted, adding "I told you I'm an inter-dimensional traveler, didn't I?" When his counterpart looked confused.

Both Stanley's and Stanford's eyes widened at that as they realized what Ford's statement implied.

"No… Way! You're… THAT'S SO COOL!" Stanley shouted, shaking in excitement, as Stanford grinned from ear to ear. Ford chuckled at their expressions, reminded of his childhood.

"Yes, I am indeed an alternate version of Stanford here, you guys can call me Ford. I really shouldn't be… interfering, but," Ford glanced at his wrist, "It looks like I'm going to be here for a while, for at least a few weeks." His machine was charred and broken, and he didn't even want to guess how much damage has been made to the circuits. He really didn't want to bother this dimension's flow of events but he knew the two boys wouldn't just leave him alone if he isolated himself, after appearing through a portal that popped up out nowhere. Stanford's smile grew even larger, an idea forming in his head.

"Hey, you could stay with us! Pa would _love_ you!" He exclaimed, already thinking of sleeping arrangements and introductions. Ford winced.

"I do not know if that would be such a good idea…" Ford said. He didn't want to meet his father, in _any_ dimension, if he was to be perfectly honest. That man was… well, he wasn't a good man, but it took a while for Ford to realize that. Too long.

"Nope! Too late, you're coming with us!" Stanley shouted, grabbing the older version of his brother by his wrist. Ford didn't resist, he knew there was no stopping his brother once he started.

Sometimes he wonders what his brother is doing these days, back in his home dimension.

* * *

 **And there we have it, the first chapter! this is also the first multi-chapter I've written _and_ _completed_ , of which I am really proud. :D**

 _ **Kiteuspou tyacesiug jau glt yehlsy joufbspnn svmltpmls, kou't fob toiuk?**_


	2. Chapter 2

B **ack at it again with another chapter! ah, whoops, eheheh... I may or may not have forgotten to update this. Which is pathetic 'cause it's already written ghhgldkhsglkshdlghlsdkhf... but hey, currently, I have One person following this story! That's... honestly more than I expected tbh. My lack of knowledge on how this site works is definitely not gonna help... I swear I had something else I wanted to say as well... oh!**

R **eminder that this fic _is_ complete (on AO3, where i originally posted it...), _and_ it's gonna be Six Chapters Long! if you wanted to know. **

I **f you noticed, at the end of the first chapter there was a bunch of apparent gibberish, yeah? Well, it's not gibberish. _Have fun decoding it!_ If you want hints feel free to contact me... somehow. Asking questions about the fic, and about anything really, is a-okay by me (and i'd be HAPPY to answer them please i'm desperate). seriously tho, If you wanna ask me questions via review _or_ PM I really don't care. and don't be afraid to talk to me i'm just some random fic-reader just like you. Also! about the fic:**

C **ertain things in the dimension this fic is set in are different! so if characters seem OOC or the setting/timing of some events is off, that's why. they're not from canon, but they _are_ very close. **

K **eep in mind, i'm just an amateur writer and i haven't edited this fic much (if at all) but the _grammar and spelling is all good i promise_. I can't stand bad spelling/grammar. but! that said, if you see somethin' please tell me so i can fix it haha**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

"Okay, okay, I know _just_ what we'll do!" Stanley said excitedly, as the trio walked along the beach, "so first, me and _my_ Poindexter are gonna go inside, like everything's normal, okay? And then, we'll say something like - wait no, actually I have a better idea! First, we're gonna go inside (but not you, older Ford) and then we're gonna ask Ma if she-"

"Stanley, shush!" his twin interrupted, "We're almost there, let's just bring him in with us, okay? It'll be fine if we do that."

Ford smiled at the two twins, enjoying the children's innocent banter as they walked.

The three Pines arrived at the family pawn shop, and Ford took a moment to look at it, taking in the similarities in addition to the differences. It was a completely different color - a soft green instead of the red brick. Fascinating. Ma might have had more of an influence in this dimension, since he remembered that color being one of her favorites.

Stanley took his brother's older, dimension-wandering counterpart's hand and tugged on it, urging him to join them inside. Ford hesitated, feeling a sudden burst of anxiety, of all things. It's not like these are his actual parents, this is a completely different dimension than his own. Yet, he still felt nervous…

"C'mon, older Sixer! It'll be fine, it's not like it's the end of the world or anythin'. It's just your, uh, alternate-dimension parents?" the young boy said, hesitating on the last words, "That's how you would say it, right?" Ford unintentionally smiled at his question. Stanley had certainly changed a lot since he last… saw him, compared to when they were kids like these two.

"Yes, I suppose that is how you would say it." Ford said, smile growing bigger. Stanley never failed to cheer him up, even now, apparently.

Well. Except for _then_.

Just as fast as Ford's smile appeared, it faded away. Before he let himself say anything more, however, he shoved that thought to the back of his mind. _These two were just kids, perhaps they'll make different choices in the future_ , he reasoned.

"Well, then what are ya waiting for!" Stanley half-shouted in his excitement. His twin winced, then grinned, his brother's excitement almost contagious.

"Yeah, let's go!" the young Stanford said as he, too, grabbed his older counterpart's hand and led him closer to the shop. The two of them were certainly eager, and a back corner of Ford's mind wondered exactly when they lost that childlike eagerness.

The twins pulled him forward by both arms, and if Ford had been a bystander witnessing this he supposed it would be a rather heartwarming scene, two young kids encouraging their elder. He would probably think he was their grandfather or some other relative, but that was definitely not the case. The thought amused him, and he let the two boys take him along.

Stanford let go of his arm to open the door, but as soon and Ford and Stanley were through he was back. Ford stopped for a brief moment to take stock of his surroundings, some back part of his mind insisting that he needed to make sure the area was safe. The layout was a little different than he remembered as a child, and there was a greater variety of items, but that didn't stop the wave of nostalgia he was swamped by as he looked around.

Some of Ford's earliest memories were of him and Stanley playing together in the shop when his father couldn't step away from the shop and his mother was on the phone. A familiar vase caught his eye, and he frowned slightly, remembering it was broken.

 _Crash!_

 _Stanford frowned, dismayed at what happened. He and Stanley were wrestling, and he had accidentally tripped into a shelf, knocking the vase off. It shattered on the ground, and the noise coupled with his panic made tears form in his eyes. Stanley ran up to his brother and gave him a hug before a shadow fell over the two. It was Filbrick, and he did not look happy. Stanford's panic gave way to dread, fearful of what his father would do. They've never broken anything in the shop before…_

 _Stanley quickly let go of his brother, and moved in front of him._

 _"I- I'm so sorry Pa! We were- we were playing and-d I pushed Stanford too h-hard and he fell against the sh-shelf and-" Stanley said quickly, close to tears._

 _"Is that so?" Their father said, unimpressed, but he leaned back a little, "Well then I suppose I will need to talk to Stanley alone," His tone gave no indication of his intent, only disapproval._

 _After he motioned Stanley to follow him out of the room, Stanford sat down and began to cry again, tear flowing but no sound coming out. Their father always said crying wasn't mature, and he was mature! Even though he accidentally broke one of the vases in the shop… He was mature for a seven-year-old. Seven-year-olds have accidents, right?_

 _Stanford heard his father's muffled voice from the other room, the tone slightly angry. He was probably telling Stanley off about roughhousing with his brother, even though it's wasn't all his fault. The young boy stifled his tears, thinking that if his brother was brave enough to take all the blame then he certainly didn't need to cry. Even better, he could clean up the mess._

 _He stood up and started to pick up the large shards of the vase with his hands, careful to not touch any edges, and deposited them in the trash. He then grabbed a broom and swept the remaining shards in a pile, but before he could throw them away as well his father appeared in the doorway. Stanford thought he was going to get a talking-to as well, but the man only watched his son for a moment before nodding in approval and leaving the room again._

 _Before he could realize what happened, his twin shuffled in. He looked like he had been crying, but he refused to make eye contact with Stanford. Instead, he just sniffled as he moved towards Stanford._

 _"Hey," Stanley said quietly, "lemme help with that, and are you... are you okay? You didn't get hurt did you?" he asked._

 _Stanford, in lieu of a verbal response, just hugged his brother. Despite being obviously upset, Stanley still tried to help clean up and was concerned about his brother's wellbeing. He was lucky to have a brother like his own._

That thought brought back newer yet still old memories, this time much less sweet.

 _-The bitter feeling of rejection and confusion being swallowed up by betrayal as he crunched the snack bag in his fist-_

 _"- hey, at least there's a silver lining, eh? Treasure~ hunting?-"_

 _-His panic as he began to be swallowed up by the portal, his brother's frozen face getting farther and farther away, "Stanley, do something!"-_

 _\- when his own face first began to appear on wanted posters throughout the multiverse, and the fear that came with it. He wouldn't be here if - if it wasn't for_ Stanley _pushing him in! -_

A small hand patting Ford's arm broke him out of the daze he had been in, and he looked down to see both twins gazing up at him with concern. How long had he been staring at nothing? Long enough to concern the two boys, evidently. Nobody had walked into the room as far as he could tell, though, so it wasn't too terrible of him.

"Ah, apologies. I was just… reminiscing. I've been in countless dimensions throughout my journeys, but never one as close to my home as this one." Ford said, "Now, let's meet your parents, hm?"

Stanley's eyes grew wide, then he smirked at his brother.

"Looks like you talk like a total nerd even when you're old and wrinkly!" He teased, releasing the older man's arm as he nudged his twin. Stanford only laughed, evidently not bothered by his brother's teasing.

"Haha, you're just jealous I know how to talk cool, plus his voice is super awesome." Stanford said, after a moment. _My voice sounds 'awesome'?_

"Sure, 'cool' is the word I would use. You're supposed to talk normal when you're talkin' to each other, not like if you were writing a nerdy paper - uh, no offense older-Stanford," Stanley said, glancing guiltily up at Ford. The older man only shook his head in response, hopefully signaling he did not, in fact, take any offense whatsoever.

"Don't worry, boy, it is quite alright. I… _do_ talk like I am writing a formal paper, and that may have gotten me in a little trouble once or twice" _or a few more than that,_ "Perhaps I could, ah, tone it down a little." Ford admitted, mirth evident as he talked. Stanley only laughed and gave a pointed look to his brother, as if to say 'I told you so'.

As he watched the twins, the feeling of being watched began to niggle at the back of his mind. He looked up at the doorway behind the counter and sure enough, a shockingly familiar figure was standing there.

"Boys, yer home earlier than usual!" his mother said as she saw her sons. She walked over to the two boys and put a hand on both their shoulders, then turned to Ford with look of apology on her face.

"I hope my sweet little boys haven't been too much of a trouble for ya, sir. What's interestin' ya in this shop?" she asked. Ford hesitated, looking away uncomfortably as he realized she evidently thought he was a customer.

"Oh, well, umm-" What was wrong with him? He's never this hesitant, he had always been able to get some words together but for whatever reason the mere _presence_ of his mother - _this dimension's version of his mother_ \- had him completely stuck.

"Ma, he's not a customer," Stanley interrupted, "He's with us!"

"Oh, really?" She asked, eyebrow raised. Her polite customer service tone completely vanished, replaced by curiosity and suspicion as she sized up Ford, taking in his dark clothing and the large blaster on his back.

"What's a stranger like you, doin' around my boys, _mister_?" She said as she subtly moved the twins behind her, protective instincts taking over.

Ford raised his hands in a placating gesture, realizing how intimidating his attire can be. He didn't even think about it before, the twins probably thought it had looked cool more than anything.

"M- ma'am, I can assure you, I have no intention of harming your sons," ah, there was his ability to speak properly, returning once his mother became threatening. He honestly should have expected this, considering how loving and protective he remembered her to be. The woman straightened her back at his statement, sensing a challenge. The action eerily reminded him of his own twin, but he shoved the impression into the back of his mind. He had a more pressing matter to deal with right now.

"Oh, and how do I know I can trust your wor-" she trailed off, catching sight of his hands. Ford was about to move them back to his sides, but as his mother focused on them he kept them up, hoping for the best.

Mrs. Pines continued to stare, Stanford and Stanley looking like they were about to explode as they stood as still as possible behind her. She looked at his face, picking out his features and comparing them to her own boys.

"Are you…" she began, voice almost imperceptible as disbelief crossed her face, but she stopped herself and turned towards her sons.

"You two better explain this, and quick - I think I might pass out if ya don't, this is too weird for your Ma," She said. The twins grinned, equally excited to share the recent events.

"So, we said he's with us but it's more like-" Stanley began.

"He _is_ us!" Stanford interrupted, "Well, not _us_ exactly but he's like this interdimensional traveller?"

"And he's this other version of Poindexter from another dimension!" his brother clarified. _Relatively_.

"... Ah. Well then," she said, evidently trying to comprehend what was being said. The two boys had taken it in quite easily, but children are much better at believing this sort of thing. It was quite understandable that his mother was having a more difficult time.

"So yeah, he just wants to get his watch thingy fixed but he doesn't have anywhere to stay,"

"Naturally, we said he could stay with us!"

"We… probably should have asked you and Pa first." Stanley said, looking down with an embarrassed blush. Ford decided it was time to stop them from overwhelming their poor mother.

"Really, ma'am, it is not an issue. I can find somewhere else to stay if this is… too much," He said, hopefully in a calming tone. She looked at him again, narrowing her eyes.

"Now hold on just a moment, you may be from another dimension but you're still my son. No way am I lettin' ya go off on your own," She said, switching from confused to mothering faster than Ford could comprehend.

"... Yes ma'am, I understand," Ford said, raising his hands in a placating gesture. Now that she had her mind set, there was no convincing his mother to do anything other than what she wanted.

"Now, what are we gonna do about sleepin' arrangements…" she said thoughtfully, "And how's Filbrick gonna take this?"

Just then, none other than Filbrick Pines entered through the shop entrance, stopping as he saw the newcomer.

"How am I going to take _what_ , Cassandra?"

* * *

 **Again, if you want hints on how to decode the weird keysmash-lookin gibberish just ask! I can give hints the next time I post a chapter and they'll probably be big hints tbh**

 ** _Lzlu, knzzkdf? Rvf vpfs! Kd't Wqnlszkm! Npe'b yysig, jo't ewv dirb dke zv vrjj wpo._**


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